9,000 public servants are paid a minimum income of €100,000

AT least 9,000 public servants are earning a minimum of €100,000 per year, according to a report in the Irish Farmers Journal.

At a time when their lower-paid colleagues are taking to the streets in protest at pay and pension cuts, an elite group enjoys annual six figure pay cheques. In addition, most top public servants can boost basic salary by up to 20% through bonuses, overtime and allowances,

Among the top earners are the CEOs of the ESB, Eirgrid, An Post, Bord Gais, Bord na Mona and the IDA, with ESB chief Padraig McManus topping the scale at e523,000. This breaks down into a basic salary of e353,000 (2007 figure) topped up by pension contributions, a bonus and other benefits.